Band-aid
by vixensheart
Summary: Broken hearts are hard to heal. Luckily for Beast Boy and Raven, they seem to have found the perfect band-aid. (Twoshot)
1. One

**"Once you had put the pieces back together,**

 **even though you may look intact,**

 **you were never quite the same as you'd been before the fall."-Jodi Picoult**

 **~#~#~#~**

He wasn't okay.

It was two months after the whirlwind of events that lead to Terra's betrayal and subsequent entombment. While on the surface Beast Boy was alright; joking, laughing, being his overall goofy self, it was all a pretty act to cover the turmoil raging within. The truth was, Beast Boy hadn't slept in those two months. Or, he had, though sleep was hard to come by, and what little sleep he achieved was ravaged by horrid nightmares that left him screaming into his pillow with tears streaming down his face.

It wasn't a pleasant life to live, but Beast Boy didn't know what to do. Talk to his friends? How? He was afraid. What would they say? That he was crazy? Despite everything that had happened, he still loved Terra, and he feared they'd shake their heads and say he was nuts for loving a girl who had tried to kill him.

And maybe he was.

His mask was cracking, that much he knew. A person could only go so long without sleep, and Beast Boy had been awake for over a week now. He was exhausted and falling apart, and it showed. Earlier that week, he'd snapped at Starfire for singing while doing the dishes. The poor Tamaranean had nearly cried, and Robin had nearly killed him in training. It wasn't until after a rough day battling Adonis that Beast Boy was tired enough to fall immediately asleep upon hitting the pillow.

The dream was the same.

He was in a field, with Terra. They sat among the tall wildflowers, watching them sway lazily in the wind. Beast Boy was captivated by her laughter, watching happily as the geomancer batted a pebble in the air with her powers. He was smiling so much his face hurt, and his heart hammered in his chest.

He was going to tell her how he felt.

"Terra?" he murmured. She glanced at him, her blue eyes bright with life.

"Hmm?"

He opened his mouth to speak, to lay everything out in the open, when the ground began to rumble. His gaze shot from the rumbling earth to Terra, whose face was contorted in fear and confusion, when the shaking turned violent and the ground began to tear open. He watched in horror as the earth opened up behind Terra, and she teetered on the edge. She tried to scramble forward, towards him, but the ground she sat upon crumbled beneath her and she slid towards the gaping crevice with a shriek.

"Terra!" he screamed, lunging forward. His fingers grazed hers, and he thought he'd finally caught her, when she slipped from his grasp and down into the burning lava below, screaming his name as she fell.

" ** _No!_** " He bolted upright, sweat and tears dripping down his face. He was in his room, and Terra was a statue. The terror of his dream combined with bitter reality hit him like an avalanche. The changeling curled up around his pillow, clutching at the soft cushion as he sobbed like a baby. It was loud, full of gasps and hiccups as the salty tears burned his face.

It wasn't until the sweet smell of lilacs permeated the room that he realized he was no longer alone. A weight shifted on the bed, and Beast Boy's bleary gaze caught sight of Raven's alabaster skin. She said nothing. Instead, she gently rubbed his back while he cried, her soft voice murmuring words of comfort and kindness. It wasn't long before his sobs quieted and he drifted back into a dreamless, peaceful sleep.

* * *

Beast Boy's eyes cracked open.

His face was raw and his nose so stuffed he could barely breath. He remembered his nightmare, and the crying fit that followed, but the strange memory of Raven comforting him flitted across his mind. Surely, that was a dream?

He would certainly have believed it to be a dream, if it weren't for the lingering scent of lilacs. Not that he could smell that great with his clogged up sinuses. But he could taste the little that remained, like a small breath of life in an otherwise dead place.

Beast Boy stumbled out of bed and throw on some clothes, dragging his feet as he walked into the common room. Dread slowly filled him up. What if Raven told everyone? What if she told them he wasn't okay? So many possibilities flew through his mind; getting kicked off the team, getting thrown into therapy, being pitied by his friends, looked down upon for his depression, being thought of as stupid, attention seeking, _weak_.

His throat was dry as he stared at the door. He couldn't bear the thought of anyone knowing his dark little secrete; after all, he was supposed to be fine. He was half tempted to scurry back into his room and hide under the covers like a child, but it was getting late and if he didn't enter the common room soon, the chances of the others _knowing_ increased tenfold. So, with shaking hands, he pushed the button to open the doors and stepped into the ops.

"Well it's about damn time, B." Cyborg's joking tone boomed through the room, eliciting a nervous chuckle from the changeling.

"What can I say? I like to sleep in."

Cyborg snorted, returning to his sizzling sausages. Beast Boy put on a grimace at the smell, and glanced about the room. Robin and Starfire were chatting over heaping plates of pancakes, though Star's were covered in mustard. They barely acknowledged him, Robin nodding absently as he skimmed the paper and Starfire simply giggling at Cyborg's remark.

They didn't know.

He risked a glance at Raven, who was seated on the couch and reading a book. Perhaps she sensed his gaze, for she turned to shoot him an inquisitive glance, her expression a mask of irritation. He blinked and turned away, his face hot.

He wasn't sure what he'd expected, but for some reason, this wasn't it.

The morning dragged on as they usually do; Cyborg teasing him about meat and Beast Boy quipping back, if only for the sake of normalcy. Robin, as usual, had everyone head down to the gym for some training.

Beast Boy couldn't help but sneak glances at Raven every so often, his emotions leaping wildly from gratitude to fear and back again. Why did she do it? The question echoed in his mind, haunting him. Why would Raven, the girl constantly annoyed by him, _help_ him? Sure, they were friends. Hell, they were starting to be really good friends. But they still irritated each other. Honestly, Beast Boy often thought she only tolerated him. It was a stupid insecurity to have, but it was there, leaving last night's...experience...rather mind boggling.

It wasn't until after training that the opportunity to question her presented itself. Beast Boy happened to be in the hallway heading to his room, when Raven's door slid open and she stepped out. Beast Boy froze for a second, his gaze darting around to assure they were alone.

They were.

He hurriedly strode up to Raven, practically cornering her by the wall. Raven's eyes widened in surprise, but she didn't snap at him or shove him aside. Instead, she stood there, staring at him inquisitively, waiting for him to speak.

"You came in my room last night." It wasn't a question. It was a statement, an aloud observation and confirmation of what had happened. He needed to be sure that it had happened in an absolute sense, despite already knowing the answer.

Raven dipped her head in a nod.

"Why?"

She blinked, surprise flitting across her features. "You were upset."

It was a simple statement, but one that carried so much weight. By the look on her face, he knew in that moment that Raven had _known_ all along, that he hadn't fooled her. She'd seen right through him from the get go. It shouldn't have surprised him as much as it did, in fact, it was almost a relief. Still, another question burned in his mind, and he blurted it out.

"Why now? If...if you've known...why now?" His voice cracked a little, and Beast Boy cursed himself for letting his weakness show. He looked away, trying to hold the pieces together. Raven's soft gaze draped over him, and he could smell her pity.

"Privacy is important to me. I...I didn't want to overstep my boundaries. I thought perhaps you wanted to figure it out yourself, but...it never got better." Her voice was a whisper, soft and full of pain and regret. He bit his lip hard, trying not to break. It was understandable that Raven would wish to respect his privacy, and her honesty was enough to start hacking away at the mask he'd created. He trembled from the effort of staying together, stilling at the touch of Raven's cool hand.

"If...if you ever need to talk, you're welcome to come find me."

Beast Boy turned sharply to her, his jaw nearly going slack. Raven had never been so...openly kind to him before. At least, not like this. But her quiet gentleness was like a soft bandage on his ragged self, something he so desperately needed. He nodded dully, watching as she slipped away with one last comforting glance.

For the first time in awhile, Beast Boy didn't feel quite so alone anymore.

* * *

It was quiet.

As far as Beast Boy knew, the only person awake in the tower was him. It was hours past midnight, how many he knew not, and he was laying on his bed staring up at the top bunk, wide awake. It was another night, like so many before, where sleep refused to come. Beast Boy sighed. His mind was a hurricane of darkness, refusing to release him from its grasp.

 _If you ever need someone to talk to..._

The whisper of her invitation flitted across his mind. He sat up, rubbing his face. Should he? There were many reasons not to, namely that she might not have meant it. Raven could very well have just said it to be polite. Plus, it was what, two in the morning? Four? She'd probably kill him if he woke her up, right?

But no matter how hard he tried to excuse his way around the invitation, he couldn't let it go. It was though Raven had turned on a lamp in the darkness, beckoning him to seek refuge. He sighed again. What did he have to lose? His sanity? Beast Boy was certain that he'd already lost that the day Terra was turned to stone. He wearily pulled himself off of his bed and staggered into the hallway, finding himself face to face with the empath's door.

This was stupid. What could Raven do? He'd already tried everything, hadn't he? It wasn't better. _He_ wasn't better. Maybe he'd never be better; maybe he was cursed to an existence of suffering. He'd had plenty of that already, what was a little more? Beast Boy hugged himself, biting his lip hard as he glanced at her door once more. No, this was a mistake. His shoulders sagged and he turned away, intent to return to the safety of his room.

As he took a step, the door behind him swooshed as it slid open. Beast Boy froze, glancing over his shoulder. Raven stood in the doorway, her hair tucked into a messy bun and her clothes askew from sleep. Her face was contorted in confusion, and she leaned against the door frame.

"Beast Boy?"

He shot her a wan grin. "Hey, Rae. S-sorry, I just...I was just heading to bed and um..."

Wordlessly, Raven stepped aside, inviting him in. Beast Boy blinked, surprised. After a long look at Raven, he stepped inside, looking about like a wary animal. The door shut behind him, and Beast Boy nearly jumped as Raven's slender fingers grazed him arm. She led him to her bed, where they both sat. Beast Boy fiddled with his thumbs nervously, completely and utterly afraid.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" Raven's uncertain voice was almost a relief, indicating she was just as unsure as he was. This was new territory for them both, as neither was keen on sharing their troubles. Beast Boy let out a long breath, his gaze wandering about the dark room.

"Yes. No. I-I dunno..."

His head dropped into his hands. He was so confused, scared, and sad. He hadn't felt this terrible in so long, but it at the same time he felt as though the sadness had always been there, locking him in its grasp. It was never-ending.

Raven's light touch provided some comfort, and Beast Boy peeked at her through his fingers. Her expression was full of concern, but it somehow was still so warm and tender.

"I can't sleep."

The statement dropped so suddenly, he was almost unsure he'd said it at all. But once the dam had broken, everything else began gushing out, and soon enough Beast Boy found himself speaking rapidly.

"E-every time I close my eyes, I see _her_. I dream about _her_ , and how I couldn't save her. And it's stupid, 'cuz we didn't even date or anything! Except for that one date, but then she betrayed us and almost killed me and...and got turned to stone! But I love her and I hate it." He paused, scrubbing the tears from his cheeks. "I just...I feel so useless."

Slender arms wrapped around him, and Beast Boy stiffened. Raven was _hugging_ him. Him. Of all people. It was almost too much to bear, and for some idiotic reason, Beast Boy started crying. Perhaps it was due to the pendulum of emotions batting back and forth, or maybe the relief of finally letting it all out, but either way the tears flowed relentlessly and the changeling sobbed into Raven's shoulder.

Eventually, he calmed down and Raven handed him a tissue. He took it gratefully and blew his nose. A sudden yawn broke free, and for the first time that night, Beast Boy felt exhausted.

"Here," Raven murmured, ripping the sheets from her bed. "You can just...sleep here."

He blinked tiredly, unsure of how to respond. Was she really offering to let him stay? He was answered by Raven gently grabbing his wrist, guiding him under the covers. Upon hitting the pillow, his heavy eyelids fell closed, and he sighed almost contentedly.

"Stay on your side," Raven said. But Beast Boy barely heard her, already drifting off to sleep.

* * *

Beast Boy stood in his room.

Truthfully, it had been awhile since he'd been there. He'd been sleeping in Ravens room for the past week. It was strange at first, he had to admit, but the empath somehow managed to have a calming effect on him. He had no nightmares while in her room, and had slept peacefully for the first time in months. She was like the glue that pieced him back together, and Beast Boy was forever indebted to her.

He sighed. Raven was gone on a mission, an overnight one that required her expertise in the magical arts. She was off halfway across the country, and he was on his own. It was a little scary, as he was just starting to feel better, for real, and was afraid of relapsing. What if the nightmares came back?

Beast Boy shook his head. He'd be fine. It was just a dream anyway.

With a sigh, he stripped his uniform off and tugged on a pair of athletic shorts. He climbed into bed and under his covers, only to toss and turn.

It wasn't that he couldn't sleep; his body was begging to slip into the rem cycle. But fear clutched him, keeping him awake. He couldn't bear to have those nightmares again, he just couldn't. They were too real, too painful.

With a groan, he stumbled out of bed and into the hallway, determined to roam until he dropped from exhaustion. His feet carried him to Raven's room, a reflex it seemed. He stared stupidly at her door before turning to wander into the ops room.

"Beast Boy?"

He froze in the doorway, his gaze locking with that of his leader. The masked detective sat at a table surrounded by papers and coffee, the low light of his laptop illuminating his face. Beast Boy chuckled nervously, wavering in the doorway.

"Hey, Rob."

"Why are you still awake?"

Beast Boy flinched. "Uh..." For some reason, his mind blanked. The thing about Beast Boy, was that he was good at pretending, and very good at thinking on his feet. He had to be, in order to figure out what animal could best serve him in any given situation. Battles were like that; he often had to make a quick decision without even thinking and hope it wouldn't kill him. He was excellent at this, and it enabled him to play the happy teammate despite all that was wrong.

And yet, standing there in the doorway, his mind was a blank canvas, void of even a sketch.

"Well, do you wanna help with paperwork? I'm up to my eyeballs in this stuff." Robin gestured to the piles around him, grinning sheepishly. Beast Boy nodded stiffly, seeing no way out of his current predicament. He hesitantly approached, choosing the seat furthest from Robin, and began silently filling out the paperwork. It was typical stuff; insurance claims, criminal cases, agreements with local law enforcement, and other legal jargon typed away onto stacks upon stacks of crisp white pages. It was mind-numbing work, and Beast Boy was soon bleary eyed and on the brink of passing out.

Robin's communicator started ringing, jolting Beast Boy from his stupor. The Boy Wonder flipped it open, raising a brow.

"Yeah?"

"We need you to run a name."

Raven's voice drifted to his sensitive ears, and Beast Boy found himself leaning forward.

"What's the name?"

There was a pause. "Gideon Johnson."

Robin's gaze cut to Beast Boy. "Can you type that in the database?" he asked. Beast Boy nodded, pulling the laptop to him. He started up the database and started typing, mute under Robin's watchful stare.

"Who are you talking to?"

Robin glanced back at his communicator. "Beast Boy. He's helping me with paperwork." There was silence after that, and Beast Boy bit his lip as he searched for Raven's suspect. He got a few hits, turning the laptop back to Robin, and sat twiddling his thumbs as they discussed possibilities for Raven's case.

Their conversation came to a close, and Robin was about to shut his communicator off, when Raven spoke again.

"Can...can I talk to Beast Boy?"

The Titan leader shot him a quizzical glance, but shrugged. "Sure." He handed Beast Boy the device, returning to typing on his laptop. Beast Boy scooted out of his chair and padded towards the hallway, his gaze dropping to Raven's face on the screen.

"Hey, Rae."

The door clicked safely behind him, and they were alone. Raven peered at him through the screen, her expression painted with concern.

"Is everything okay?"

He sighed. "Yeah, I just...I'm scared." It was weird admitting it aloud, but Raven made talking so surprisingly easy. "I don't want the nightmares to come back." He leaned against a nearby wall, clutching the communicator so tight, he feared it might break. Raven hummed quietly on her end.

"Where's your communicator?"

Beast Boy shot her a puzzled look. "My room."

"Get it. I'll call you." The screen went black, and Beast Boy stared for a moment. He shook his head and pushed off the wall, returning to the ops room briefly to give Robin the communicator back before hurrying to his room to fetch his. He snatched it just in the nick of time, scrambling to push the answer button. Raven's face appeared once more, and he couldn't help but grin.

"Hey."

They talked, mostly about mundane things, until he finally drifted off to sleep, still clutching the yellow device.

* * *

The cave loomed up above him, the rocky outcroppings leering down at him. Beast Boy gulped, staring apprehensive at the yawning mouth.

For the first time in six months, Beast Boy was finally visiting the cave.

In his hands quivered a bouquet of fresh roses, to replace the originals. He'd been standing here for over twenty minutes, staring, which he supposed was better than not coming at all. A hand squeezed his shoulder, and Beast Boy turned to see Raven's gentle gaze.

"Do you want me to come?"

He shook his head. "No, that's okay." The fact that this was something he needed to do alone went unsaid. They both understood that fact, but Raven's offer was still comforting nonetheless. Beast Boy steeled himself, taking a deep breath. "Okay. I'll...I'll be back." He slipped from Raven's grasp then, striding with shaking legs towards the entrance of the cave.

It was dark.

Dark shadows swallowed the rocky pathway, and it took a minute for his eyes to adjust. The cave looked relatively the same; dark and wet, full of the slowly moving lifeforms that called this cave their home. The differences didn't start until halfway down, when the rocks grew smoother and backer; the remnants of dried lava. Before long, the tunnel opened up, and Beast Boy walked into the cavern that had once changed his life forever.

She looked the same.

Her pretty face was forever carved in an expression of intense concentration and possibly pain, her arms outstretched from when she used her powers to halt the lava. Beast Boy paused at the foot of her entombed body, clutching the new bouquet in a death grip.

"Hey, Terra."

Time blurred down in the cave. Beast Boy spent the next hours laughing, crying, and talking. He told her everything that had happened to him in the past months, how low he had been. He told her about the criminals, the fights, and the nights spent crying in the arms of the empath. He told her how much he missed her, and how proud of her he was.

And then he left.

The weight Beast Boy had carried for so long finally fell away as he stepped back out into the sunshine. Terra was gone. He couldn't change that, no one could. Terra was gone, but he was still here, and Beast Boy was finally ready to start living, _really_ living again. He walked over to Raven, who stood resolutely by a tree nearby.

"How do you feel?" she asked quietly. Beast Boy smiled.

"I feel...great."

Hand in hand, they walked away. Beast Boy cast one final glance at the cave.

 _Goodbye Terra._

The cave slowly disappeared from view behind them, and with it, the pain of his loss and broken heart.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **Wow. This was crazy to write, it just poured from me. I don't know whee the angst came from, so don't ask. Anyway, I'm going to do a part two about Raven, so stay tuned. (I'm marking this complete since it's not a chapter story, but I am working on the next part.)**

 **Thanks for the support!**

 **-vixensheart**


	2. Two

**"Never allow someone to be your priority,**

 **while allowing yourself to be their option."-Mark Twain**

 **~#~#~#~**

Water streamed down her, the warmth numbing her skin.

Her heart hurt.

She'd been duped, betrayed, lied to, and used. Not only that, but she'd allowed someone to come in and hurt her friends, her family, simply because she thought he _liked_ her. Sure, she was okay. On the outside anyway. Inside, she was still reeling.

It was stupid, really. Why was she this upset? She'd known Malchior for what, a week? But the very thought of him was like a wrench being thrown in her heart, making her a sobbing, pitiful mess all over again.

She hated it.

"Raven?"

The voice startled her, making her jump. She scrambled to shut the shower off, watching the water drip off her body. Raven could feel Beast Boy's concern fear coming off in waves, assaulting her emphatic senses. She shivered, though whether or not it was from the cold or the changeling's presence, she knew not.

"What?"

Her voice was raw, and she cursed herself for it. She could feel Beast Boy's swirl of emotions shifting on the other side of the door.

"Y-you've been in there for awhile...i-is everything okay?" His voice was muffled, but she could still hear the squeak at the end. For whatever reason, it brought a wry smile to her lips, and she chuckled softly. He had that weird effect on her, making her smile even when the world around her was shit.

"I'm fine."

There was a rustle, and she heard him sigh.

"Okay. But, Rae?" There was a pause, as though he was contemplating his next words carefully. "If you ever need anyone to talk to...you know where to find me." With that, he left, only a slight trace of his aura lingering behind the door. Raven stared at the curtain, her mind abuzz with his words. They were the same words she'd uttered many months ago, when he too, was suffering the throes of heartbreak.

 _You think you're alone, Raven, but you're not._

Raven shook herself and reached for her towel. He may have had a point, but Raven wasn't sure if she wanted to go there. Why would he want to carry her burden? He already had enough to deal with, he certainly didn't need her baggage.

With a sigh, the empath covered up and teleported to the safety of her room, away from the concern and pity of her friends.

* * *

She was flying.

It was exhilarating, flying. The way the wind whipped in her hair and the height made her heart flutter was addicting. She was so free when she flew; free of her powers, her worries, and all of the meaningless, silly things that happened on the ground. No, in the sky, it was just her, the air, and her free spirit.

But this time, she wasn't alone.

Her fingers were laced with that of the magician, Malchior, and together they twirled and dipped in the air, laughing and giggling. Raven loved his laugh, it was so deep and beautiful. She loved the way he looked at her, the way he made her feel like she was everything. With Malchior, she wasn't creepy, she wasn't weird, or scary, she was just Raven.

Storm clouds gathered over head, and thunder rolled. Raven drew up short, her heart hammering in her chest. "We need to land," she said. "It's starting to storm." A bolt of lightning streaked across the sky, casting a bright light among the blackening clouds. Malchior laughed, but it was...different.

Raven watched in horror as her beloved grew scales, his face contorting as a snout emerged, equipped with long pointed fangs. Wings sprouted from his back, along with a curling, long tail. His fingers and toes grew sharp talons, and no longer was the creature before her the wizard whom she loved. No, the creature before her was a massive, terrifying dragon.

He laughed, flames licking at his lips. "Oh Raven, you didn't _really_ think I loved you, did you?"

"What are you talking about?" she cried. The dragon's head snaked up to her, his unwavering, evil eyes glinting in a flash of lightning. "You're a pathetic little girl that no one could ever love. After all, you're going to kill your friends. How could they love someone like you, the spawn of evil himself?"

Tears streamed down Raven's face. "No," she seethed. Malchior cocked his head.

"Oh?" He flew around her, allowing the full view of the bloodbath beneath her catch her gaze. "Then what's this?" he asked. Raven blinked, her watery gaze distorted from the tears.

"No," she whispered. But alas, it was true. Her friends, every one, laid broken and bleeding on the ground. Raven clutched herself, sobbing. "No, no no!" Malchior's laughter filled the air around her, the melody of her insanity. She squeezed her eyes shut, her hands grabbing fist-fulls of hair, and screamed.

" _ **No!**_ "

Raven bolted upright, her face wet with tears. There was no blood, no storm. Instead, she sat upon her bed, twisted up in the sheets from writhing around during her nightmare. She leaned back against the baseboard, sighing shakily.

Well, that sucked.

She assuming the lotus position, taking deep, shaky breaths to try and calm herself down. It wasn't working very well, as the horrific images kept resurfacing and making her nearly sob again. A sudden scratching at her door, caught her attention, and the pillows behind her nearly exploded from the terror that bolted through her. She slammed her walls down and threw her empathy out in the open, trying to determine who or what was at her door. The soft green glow of Beast Boy's aura tinged her senses, and Raven's shoulder's sagged with relief.

Carefully wiping the tears from her cheeks, she slipped out of bed and to her door, pressing the button to let it slide open. And saw nothing. Her brow furrowed in confusion, and she leaned out into the hall, when a meow by her feet caught her attention. Rubbing against her leg was a green cat, purring loudly. Raven couldn't help but smile a little at the sight.

She gently scooped him up, scurrying back into the depths of her room. With a sigh, Raven plopped onto her bed, letting Beast Boy spring free of her arms. She hugged her knees to her chest, glancing at the purring green cat.

"You can change back," she murmured. The cat hesitated, before quickly morphing back into the familiar shape of the changeling. For once, he didn't speak, he simply sat at the edge of her bed and watched her, his quiet concern like a warm woolen blanket. Once again, flashes of his bloodied torso from her nightmare flashed through her mind, and Raven buried her head in her knees.

"I'm sorry." It was a whisper, a tiny snippet of emotion that leaked out of her without her bidding. Malchior was right; she was too weak. Too weak to be herself, and too weak to save her friends from the inevitable.

"What for?"

"I..." There were many reasons. For endangering the team, for hurting him by abusing his trust, for what she was and what she could do, for all the times she was a shitty friend, the list went on. But Raven couldn't speak, for fear of breaking in two. Instead, she shook her head and squeezed her eyes shut, a few tears spilling down her face.

A warm hand draped onto her arm, and Raven glanced up to see Beast Boy's soft smile.

"Come on, I wanna show you something." He tugged her off the bed and lead her out of her room, much to Raven's confusion. She blinked as she was lead through the tower's halls, her mind swirling with bafflement. Where was he taking her?

Beast Boy led her down to the basement, halting in front of Robin's R-cycle. Raven turned and raised a brow at him.

"You're showing me Robin's bike?"

He laughed. "No, we're _using_ Robin's bike. Get on." He darted off before she could protest, returning minutes later with keys and a pair of helmets. Beast Boy offered her one, a lazy grin spread across his face.

"Robin's gonna kill you."

Beast Boy shrugged. "What Rob won't know, won't kill him. Now c'mon." He plopped the helmet onto his head, shooting her a beam. Raven looked down at the helmet in her hands and sighed. What did she have to lose? With a sigh of resignation, she donned the head gear and settled behind Beast Boy on the bike. With a roar of the engine, they were off, flying through the underground tunnel into the city.

Despite her brooding mood, Raven couldn't help but marvel at the city's beauty in the night. Street lights and flickering billboards lit up the night, reflecting off the roadway as they flew through the streets. The dark night sky was a nice contrast to the lit up city, though no stars could be seen beyond the light pollution. It was a whole different world than Azarath, one Raven had grown to love over the years.

Beast Boy drove surprisingly well, weaving easily through the bypasses and skyscrapers, slowing down as they hit downtown. He pulled off onto a quieter street, parking on the curb alongside of a residential building. The changeling tugged his helmet off and slung it onto the handlebars, shooting her another grin. Raven followed suit, letting the shapeshifter lead her out into the street.

"I saw this once on one of Starfire's cheesy chick-flicks, and one night when I couldn't sleep, I tried it. It's actually pretty fun." He then proceeded to flop down onto the asphalt and sprawl out under the stoplight. Raven stared at him, open-mouthed.

"Isn't that...dangerous?"

Beast Boy's head lolled to the side, and he rolled his eyes. "Nah, Rae. I can hear cars from like, five blocks away. Come one, try it."

Hesitantly, she stepped out into the intersection and sat down. She could feel Beast Boy's gaze on her, and with a huff, she laid down. "There," she muttered, "happy?" She could feel his light emotions bouncing around. It was almost addicting, and Raven revelled in the feeling.

"They're pretty, aren't they?"

She shot him a questioning look, but Beats Boy was staring upward. Her gaze drifted to where he looked, and she couldn't help but smile. He was staring at the street lights as they changed colors, from red to yellow to green and back again. He wasn't wrong; it was pretty, in its own abstract way. They stared up for awhile, admiring the changing lights in the night, when Beast Boy spoke again.

"I forgive you. You know that, right?"

Raven inhaled sharply, her head jerking towards him. Beast Boy wasn't looking at her, his gaze was still locked on the street lights. But she could feel his gentle emotions whirring beneath the surface; his kindness and caring washing over her. Raven bit her lip, tears stinging her eyes. She couldn't help but wonder how utterly lucky she was to have a friend like him, willing to forgo sleep to help her feel better. Without thinking, she grabbed his hand and squeezed it.

They remained there in the street, late into the night, watching the street lights change.

* * *

Raven sighed. It was late, again. She wasn't able to sleep, for one reason or another. Perhaps it was because the dreams still plagued her, though she had a sneaking suspicion it had to do with the fact that a certain green changeling was absent from her room.

So Beast Boy may have been sleeping in her room. So what? His presence was surprisingly calming, especially in light of her tirade of nightmares and swinging emotions. Raven now understood why Beast Boy had seemed so addicted to sleeping in her bed during the following months after Terra. The comfort of another person's warmth and companionship was something Raven had never really realized she enjoyed until now. Still, Raven thought Beast Boy secretly enjoyed the company more.

Or at least, she did until now.

The sheets rustled as Raven rolled over, huffing. She'd been curled up in bed for over an hour, trying to sleep with little success. She considered performing a variety of iffy sleeping spells, but after contemplation, Raven rolled out of bed and snatched her book. She slapped the lock pad to open her door and swiftly trailed to the ops room.

There, in front of the television, sat Beast Boy and Cyborg, whooping and hollering as they competed in their stupid video game marathon. It was something they loved to do, though there hadn't been too much time lately. Even though Raven thought it was stupid, she knew Beats Boy loved having these all-nighters with Cyborg. So that morning, when he'd asked her if it was okay, she'd pretended that it was no big deal. She was fine on her own, and he should go have fun.

Except she wasn't.

Neither of them noticed her until she sat down next to Beast Boy, and the silence in the room was suddenly very apparent. Raven pretended not to notice, instead she flipped her book open and glossed over the first page.

"Uh...Hey, Raven. Didn't you go to bed like a couple of hours ago?"

Raven glanced up at Cyborg with a brow raised. Before she could utter a word, the shapeshifter beside her elbowed him sharply and shot her a grin, before starting their next match. And just like that, they went back to their marathon. Raven could still feel Cyborg's baffled emotions, as well as his curious gaze every-now-and-again. Still, he didn't question it, leaving her to read in peace.

Or, to try to read anyway.

They were both incredibly noisy, shouting and screaming at both the screen and each other. Still, Raven was surprised to find that she didn't mind. It was actually pretty amusing to watch, the way they bickered and laughed as they relentlessly battered their controllers to win whatever game they played. The popular one was that racing game, but they also spent some time playing some zombie game among others.

She wasn't sure how long she'd been watching, but at some point during the night, Raven started to feel tired. Her eyelids were heavy and she was yawning nonstop. Beast Boy's shoulder somehow ended up as he pillow, and she began to drift off to dreamworld, surrounded by warmth and laughter. She vaguely remembered someone taking her book and scooping her up, carrying her to her room.

* * *

"Dude, Rae, what are you doing?"

Raven glanced up to see Beast Boy lingering in her doorway. She rolled her eyes, a small smile playing at her lips, and shrugged. "I'm cleaning," she said, setting down a stack of books. All around her, books and knick knacks sat in piles as she rearranged and dusted her dark, gothic-styled shelves. It was a rainy day, but Raven was in surprisingly high spirits, and had decided that today was as good as any day to clean her room.

Beast Boy waded into the depths of the cleaning disaster, an amused grin on his face. "You sure about that? 'Cuz it looks like a disaster in here."

She shot him a glare. He was right, it _was_ a bit of a mess, but he didn't have to point it out. "Well, then I guess you'll just have to help," she quipped, tossing him a book. Beast Boy grinned back, setting right to work. The two dusted, organized, and rearranged Raven's room in silence, with Beast Boy only occasionally asking a question or two. It was quite the task, as Raven had more things than she realized, but Raven always found cleaning to be rather rewarding.

Slowly but surely, her room began to clear up. Books were lined along shelves in alphabetical order, to make finding them easier. Magical artifacts were placed in aesthetic pleasing places, while still being within reach for practicality's sake. Shelves were freshly dusted and polished, her bed was made with fresh sheets, and her carpet vacuumed. Vacuuming was entertaining, as Beast Boy had eyed the machine warily the whole time it was out, very much like a cat or dog.

All in all, it was a great cleaning binge.

"What's this?"

Raven glanced up to see Beast Boy peering down at a dust covered chest. She blinked. Malchior's chest.

"That's the chest I put Malchior's book in," she murmured quietly. At this Beast Boy balked, shooting her a wide-eyed stare. It was sort of funny, his expression. He looked quite a bit like an animal caught in a car's headlights, fear and shock painting his features. Raven couldn't help the smirk that rose to her lips, and she chuckled.

"It's okay, Beast Boy." And it was. It had been months since the incident, and over that time, Raven had healed. She didn't care about the wicked dragon anymore, a realization that was somewhat shocking. The two stared at each other for a long moment, before Beast Boy's gaze dropped to the chest.

"So...what are you gonna do with it?"

Raven tilted her head to the side. She hadn't really thought about that. The past few months had been so up and down with trying to move past her heartbreak, that she hadn't thought about what she would do with the book. She couldn't give it away, lest Malchior do the same to someone else. But she really didn't wish to keep it here in her room as a constant reminder of her failings.

An idea came to mind and Raven stepped up beside Beast Boy. " _Azarath, Mentrion, Zinthos!_ "

A dark portal opened up beneath the chest, swallowing it whole. Raven stared at the space for a long moment, a relieved grin slowly breaking out on her face. She turned to Beast Boy, who stared at her with a puzzled expression.

"Where'd it go?" he asked.

"I sent it to a semi-dimension that only I can access. Now Malchior will _never_ see the light of day."

A wild grin spread across Beast Boy's features, and his arm slung easily over her shoulders. "Then I think that's a cause for celebration."

Raven crossed her arms, shooting him a baffled look. "What do you mean?" Her question hung in the air as Beast Boy beamed at her, dragging her towards her door.

"Karaoke night!" he cheered. Raven rolled her eyes, a small smile on her face. She wasn't much of a party person, but celebrating sounded like a wonderful idea. After all, she had finally closed that chapter of her life, and was eager to start anew. She slid her hand into his and allowed him to drag her to the common room, ready for a night full of laughter.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **And here's part two! This was a little harder to write. I guess I got all my angst out in part one. Hopefully it's still a little sweet!**

 **Thanks for the support!**

 **-vixensheart**


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